This invention relates to apparatus for supporting the battery decking of underjet coke ovens by means of support walls having reinforcement members bonded into a foundation slab while slip plates form sliding joints between the battery decking and the support walls which additionally include recesses receiving downwardly-extending studs from the battery decking along the center line of the battery. More particularly, the present invention relates to such support apparatus wherein dampers are provided between the studs and the vertical surfaces of the recesses in the support walls and additional dampers are provided between the support walls and strip members extending downwardly from the underside of the battery decking along the sides of the support walls.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,750, assigned to the same Assignee as this invention, there is disclosed a support apparatus for a battery of coke ovens wherein the battery decking of underjet coke ovens rests on slip plates that are, in turn, supported on the top surfaces of walls which extend parallel to the longitudinal orientation of the coke oven chambers. The support walls are made from reinforced concrete with the reinforcement members bonded into a foundation slab on which the battery decking is supported. Downwardly-extending studs are provided on the battery decking along the center line of the coke oven battery. These studs are adapted to engage in openings in the individual support walls.
Such a support for the battery decking offers the important advantage of substantially reducing the amount of reinforced material required to form the support walls. The use of the studs projecting from the undersurface of the decking allows for the absorption of horizontal forces which act on the battery decking when the coke ovens are pushed. This support arrangement provides additional advantages in its construction. Such a support arrangement is in contrast to the conventional construction wherein the battery decking was supported by means of piles installed in rows extending parallel to the axis of the oven chamber. The piles are connected to the battery decking by strong beams.
The support means for the battery decking which is the subject matter of the above-identified patent is protected pursuant to the object of the present invention against the effects of earthquake shocks by employing suitably installed dampers. The invention is based on the realization that it is particularly suitable to install dampers in a relatively simple manner to achieve the type of support provided for the battery decking described in the aforementioned patent.
The idea of providing a foundation which is to be earthquake-proof has already been described for coke oven batteries having horizontal oven chambers. In the region of the middle longitudinal axis and the space between the foundation slab and support slab there were provided reinforced concrete strips anchored in such slabs while engaging one another. Resilient elements are disposed between the slabs to act in a longitudinal and transverse direction. Hydraulic or pneumatic devices comprising inter alia piston and cylinder assemblies are described as suitable forms for the resilient elements. These elements may further include buffers of natural or synthetic materials or steel springs, such as torsion springs or plate springs stacked as a unit with the springs oriented in pairs against one another. In a coke oven battery comprising a large number of oven chambers, only a single resilient element intended to act along the longitudinal direction of the battery, is provided in the middle thereof between the foundation slab and the support slag and only one unit of resilient elements is provided near each battery end for absorbing forces which act in a transverse direction.
The elements which are employed to act as security against earthquake shocks must absorb forces, that are readily determined by calculation, which cannot be absorbed by resilient components installed at so few points of the battery. It is assumed that a so-called "horizontal factor" of about 0.2 must be maintained. Factors of this order are specified for buildings in countries subject to earthquake risk. The horizontal factor is known to refer to the percentage of vertical forces which must be absorbed at the center of gravity of the building in the form of a horizontal force. A factor of 0.35 is necesssary for areas which are subjected to particularly severe earthquakes. It can be readily calculated that the installation of resilient elements at so few points is completely inadequate for an entire coke oven battery.